The invention relates to a method and apparatus for supplying information from a central source to a plurality of remote user interfaces relating to an interactive application.
Interactive applications, such as interactive games, are supplied to a plurality of user interfaces, often in conjunction with a broadcast TV programme or the like with which the application is associated. In a conventional interactive system, a scheduled TV programme is transmitted at a scheduled start time and in addition application data relating to the associated application is also downloaded by the user interfaces.
EP-A-0714684 discloses a real-time multi-user game communication system for use in a cable television infrastructure. Games are transmitted simultaneously to a large number of remote users.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,314 discloses an interactive video service system enabling pay-per-view and video-on-demand systems to be implemented. These are not interactive applications and are not therefore directly relevant to the present invention.
In particular, this is not concerned with the simultaneous use of an interactive application by a large number of users.
WO-A-97/08892 describes a system providing interactive entertainment in the form of a branch structured narrative. Information relating to the application is downloaded to a set top box and then the user can activate the application. However, there is no link between different users and so this disclosure is not relevant to the problems addressed by the present invention.
The present invention is concerned with enabling the plurality of remote user interfaces to take part in the same interactive application and thus provide an opportunity for inter-user competition.
A problem with conventional interactive systems is that it can take a large amount of time for each user interface to download the application data. If a user interface starts downloading the application data shortly before the scheduled start time, then there may not be enough time to completely download the application data before the scheduled start time.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of supplying information from a central source to a plurality of remote user interfaces relating to an interactive application, the method comprising:
i) transmitting application data associated with the interactive application to the user interfaces; and,
ii) thereafter, transmitting a real time start signal to the user interfaces to enable the interactive application to begin substantially simultaneously at each user interface.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for supplying information from a central source to a plurality of remote user interfaces relating to an interactive application, the apparatus comprising means for:
i) transmitting application data associated with the interactive application to the user interfaces; and,
ii) thereafter, transmitting a real time start signal to the user interfaces to enable the interactive application to begin substantially simultaneously at each user interface.
The invention ensures that the application data is transmitted before the application begins by enabling the application at each user interface with a real time start signal. There are various different types of application with which the invention can be implemented. In a simple example, applications can be supplied on demand. In a second group of examples, an interactive application can be scheduled to start at a particular time, for example where the application relates to a game to be played amongst a number of different users. In this situation, the application data will be made available from a predetermined time before the interactive application is scheduled to begin to allow enough time for the data to be downloaded if a user wishes to take part in the interactive application.
In a third group, the interactive application is associated with a TV broadcast programme or the like scheduled to begin at a certain time. As with the previous example, the application data will then be made available from a predetermined time, for example ten minutes before the scheduled program start time.
In all cases, however, the real time start signal must be received before at least the interactive part of the application can commence.
Preferably, the method further comprises broadcasting an xe2x80x9capplication availablexe2x80x9d signal at the predetermined time to all the remote user interfaces. This may be as part of an electronic programme guide. Alternatively, the broadcasting of application data may in itself indicate the application is available.
The early knowledge that an application is available allows users to respond before the application starts. This period prior to the issue of the real time start signal can be used to carry out a statistical analysis of the user interfaces. For example the interactive application may comprise a pool betting game in which each user makes a betting payment and the winner of the game receives the betting payments of the other users. In this case, the application may perform certain preliminary tasks, such as passing bets to the central source where the betting payments from all of the user interfaces may be added up and the users informed of the total amount of money which will be given to the winner.
In another example the interactive application may comprise a quiz game in which questions are transmitted to the user interfaces and the users input their answers in response. In this case three different quizzes may be transmitted simultaneously in respective categoriesxe2x80x94xe2x80x9cNOVICExe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cINTERMEDIATExe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cADVANCEDxe2x80x9d. Before the application is started, players enter themselves and provide an indication of their level of expertise to the central source where a check is made that there are at least a minimum number of players entered in each category. If the minimum number of players have not entered in, for example, the xe2x80x9cNOVICExe2x80x9d category, then the application is only operated in the xe2x80x9cINTERMEDIATExe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cADVANCEDxe2x80x9d categories.
Yet a further advantage of the present invention is that it ensures that there is enough time to perform a credit check routine to check the credit of one or more of the users before the application is started.
The application data typically comprises a set of rules and/or executable computer code. The executable program code can then be run as an application by the user interfaces in order to enable the users to interact with the application.
Typically, following the start of the application, a mixture of video data (which may be generated live in a central studio in the form of a television program for example) and/or data (e.g. quiz question data) which provides input for the applications running on the user interfaces will be transmitted to the user interfaces.
The first substantive action in the application may occur after a certain period has passed following the real time start signal. This action could be the appearance of the first question in a quiz game.
The user interfaces may communicate an indication of the time of this action to their respective users during a waiting interval, for instance by a countdown indicating the amount of time remaining or by simultaneously indicating the time of the first action and the current time. These start times may be indicated aurally or by visual display.
The interactive application may be scheduled to start at a certain time and this scheduled start time may be advertised in a TV guide magazine which is supplied to the users in advance. However preferably the method further comprises transmitting electronic programme guide data to the user interfaces, the electronic programme guide data indicating the scheduled start time of the application. Typically, if the first substantive action occurs after the scheduled start time this is not advertised, to discourage users from joining an application at the last moment. In the case of scheduled applications relating to a broadcast programme, the scheduled start times of the programme rather than the application will normally be advertised.
The application data may be repeatedly transmitted over a mass broadcast medium to enable each user interface to download the data when required. Alternatively the application data may be transmitted on receipt of a request from one of the user interfaces.
The user interfaces may all receive the application data via a single common transmission medium or platform. Alternatively, the data may be transmitted on multiple platforms.